Hi all, not sure why this isn't wanting to post- sorry for the delays and multiple notifications!

Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The remainder of the day passed enjoyably. After a period of retaliation, Jaime rose from the water to strip down, wringing out his soppy clothes and positioning them around the warm fire to begin drying. He'd returned to the water after, it being the preferable alternative to remaining in his near-flesh wet on the bank with the cold of the air combating the warmth of the steam rising from below. Though he'd been reluctant in the beginning, he seemed to enjoy the experience and allowed some of his barriers to relax despite their company.

The made their way back to the keep and return just before the start of sunset, everyone once again sufficiently dry and dressed warmly for the journey. Everyone disbursed quickly when they returned- Robb and his family moving off together, his wife's handmaiden joining them before they were out of sight; Jon took Bran himself and headed off, Rickon and his caretaker moving to follow while Sansa departed to bathe in truth. Jaime profess a desire to do the same, his flesh coated in and his clothes smelling strongly of the mineral rich water and smoke thanks to their submersion and method of subsequent drying.

It left Arya to slip away unhindered and unquestioned, for which she was grateful. There was something else she had to consider, a question she wishes she had raised before Jaqen had departed for she was torn on what to do. Her feet moved across the grounds as silently as ever, remaining out of sight and unnoticed with her hood raised and head down.

It was quite a walk to her destination, the two surviving dragons being kept far from the keep itself, in another warm pocket where the heat beneath the ground vented to the surface. She wasn't stupid enough to approach them once she arrived, but rather watched from a safe distance hidden behind a bare tree trunk, secretly thrilled to get such an opportunity despite the reason she was there.

It was the one she called the Queen called Viserion- the one with red and gold wings- that had fallen during the battle, she knew already. She felt almost bad for the two that were left, seeing them secured to the ground so they couldn't fly away, thick collars connected by an equally thick linked chain and bolted to a contraption dug into the rocky ground. They looked bored, laying listlessly over the steam vents and occasionally blowing a huff out smoke out of their own snouts.

She understood the necessity of keeping them on such tight teathers, however, remembering again the tales she heard of their devastation in the East, of fathers who had lost their children to their hungry maws; farmers who had lost their entire flocks and herds; of homes burned and the families inside turned to ash because of a careless blast of uncontrolled dragon fire… No, she could imagine them loose in Westeros, could imagine the damage they could do to a world that was just now able to start recovering from the latest devastation and yet even still on the verge of falling into yet another war… A war they already couldn't afford, for they did not have the numbers left to keep fighting as they'd been doing already for years and years.

The piles of bones that were lying beside them were nearly enough to make her mind on their own merit, for she could imagine how far that much meat would have gone amongst the armies and families starving in the wake of a long famine leading up to the winter-instead of feeding such massive beasts who had such voracious appetites, for as long as the Queen had been there.

It seemed an easy answer- that she should cull them now, remove what should never have returned to the world before it could do any more damage to it, but even still… They were dragons, somewhat tamed dragons who were well and truly no threat to anyone just then, aside from hording an already scares food supply.

Could she consider this to be putting them out of their misery? It seemed less horrid a thought than simply slaughtering the only two dragons alive in the world, but what was the alternative? Daenerys could keep a handle on them for the most part, but when she was no longer around to do so? She knew Jon had gotten rather close to the one called Rhaegal, the one named for his true father- close enough to ride beside the queen- but that didn't mean he'd be able to control him without his 'mothers' influence.

Beyond that concern, if or when the woman does decide to attack King's Landing, having the dragons would give her an almost unbeatable advantage. Would it not be better to remove that threat now, while it was achievable and before it was too late to matter? What was the value of their lives compared to all those potentially lost- not to mention those who had already been lost because of their resurgence in the world?

How did one go about killing a dragon, anyway? In combat, it would be naught impossible. Here… Where they were so vulnerable and still unaware of her presence… She considered what was most likely to work and came up with two promising solutions after a few minutes of silent, thoughtful musing. There were two other mixtures she could create, aside from the she planned to give Daenerys herself. The first, when mixed, produced a toxic vapor that disallowed the body to inhale oxygen- or rather, it could inhale it, but the chemicals would coat the insides of the lungs so that they themselves could not absorb the oxygen. For most air-breathing creatures, it spelled a certain death. With Dragons, she honestly wasn't sure if the vapor would have the same effect or would be enough to coat the likely massive lungs that resided in the huge creatures. Beyond that, she knew fire released another chemical all together, one that would smother the fire eventually without being allowed oxygen, so it could be that it wouldn't affect them at all.

The second avenue she considered would require a bit more preparation. There was a toxin she could create and feed to a goat or sheep that would absorb into their flesh and cause the meat itself to become toxic. Those who consumed the tainted meat usually weren't looked at twice, for it wasn't terribly uncommon for spoiled meat to bring about sickness. But again, she wasn't sure it alone would be enough to take down a dragon…

And so her mind continued to turn, thinking back over every bit of knowledge she had accumulated over the past years and how she might be able to twist it to fit this circumstance. She remained until it was dusk set in and it becoming dark in truth, when it became necessary for her to return or else risk injury making the treacherous journey. Even still, it would be such a shame for the dragons to leave the world once again. She'd always loved the tales of them. Though they were most commonly spoken of in tales of the Targaryen's, it wasn't always the case and Arya would soak up any story she could find of them when she was a girl. Could she be solely responsible for eradicating the world of their magnificent species once more?

She still wasn't sure, even as she finally arrived and slipped back into the keep and made her way back to her room.

Arya had the opportunity to slip her toxin to the Queen the next morn, as she passed by the head table while the woman was several steps away, speaking tense salutations to her sister. It was all Arya required.

She didn't bother slipping the clear liquid into the empty cup. Rather, she slipped it into the pitcher to the woman's left. She'd observed night after night and knew the Queen alone would be the one to drink from that particular container. It was always supplied by one of her own people and never typically left unattended. Arya watched out of the corner of her eye as the woman took her normal seat, and felt a surge of success as she reached to pour herself a glass of tainted wine, from which she took a drink without hesitation.

Nothing happened immediately of course, but Arya knew death had become certain. The more wine she drank the quicker He of Many Faces would take her, but He would take he regardless- even if that drink was the only one she took.

By the end of breakfast, the woman had drunk two full glasses and sipped on a third. It was enough that Arya felt comforted with the timeline. It was anticlimactic, really, but she was practically giddy as the meal came to a close, ready to spring up and get on with the rest of her day. Or she was, until her mother bid her remain behind for an asofthen unspoken reason.

So she lingered, waiting for the men and those not related to her to take leave of the room, growing more and more suspicious. Jaime lingered for a few moments before her sisters gaze seemingly forced him out as well. "What's this about?" She questioned at last as only her Mother, Sansa and Talisa remained.

It was her mother who replied after the slightest hesitation. "I know you're not thrilled to be marring," The woman began slowly. "But it's long been a tradition that the brides family assist in designing her wedding dress. I know you're going to be setting off soon, but, I was hoping you might allow us to help choose your design while you're still home, allow us to keep a small piece of such a monumental event in your life.

Arya's immediate response was disgust and a bit of indignation and the request, but she held it all inside and kept her face blank. "I don't even know who I'm supposed to be marrying, yet..." She protested, holding back the force of her returned ire. She tried to remind herself that this was normal, that it was practically expected, but she still felt annoyed. Still, she supposed it might be better to have a say in what she was going to be waring than to have the woman show up with one she'd designed completely on her own and so reluctantly decided to remain.

A knock came on the outer door before the seamstress poked her head inside and entered, a think book of bound parchment clutched in her arms. "Are you ready for me, My Ladies?" The woman asked, reserved.

Catelyn looked at Arya beseechingly. "Please, Arya, I know you'll be setting off for the South soon. Please allow us this one part of your wedding before it's beyond our reach?" She implored with a hand outreached towards her. "I know, Gods know I know it's not what you want, but if it has to happen all the same, please allow us to be any part of it we can."

She glanced around feeling rather helpless, grasping to come up with a reason to flee but finding it a fruitless effort. The seamstress approached at her mothers welcoming nod when Arya herself failed to respond. The book was placed between them on the table a few moments later and Arya watched numbly as the first sketched dress design was brought into view.

It was a monstrous thing, with what must have been miles of fur twisted and tucked into a vaguely dress-like shape plastered in the center of an otherwise blank piece of parchment. She didn't intend for her opinion to be visible on her face, but it seemed to be despite her efforts for the woman quickly turned the page.

The next parchment held a design that was slightly more palatable, with a thick overlay of fabric panels forming the exterior of the next style option, each one decorated intricately and elaborately, even on parchment. Still, she quickly shook her head, silently acknowledging to herself that she'd participate if only to avoid a design similar to either of those being prepared for her without her knowledge or consent.

The third was an excessive lace and frill covered monstrosity. The fifth baring a ridiculous bell shaped skirt that would ne naught on impossible to maneuver in. They in fact made it nearly two-thirds of the way through the book before they stumbled across something that she didn't immediately despise on sight and that was also agreeable enough to her mother and sisters.

Though she was.. accepting of the of the base design, there were a few things she preferred to alter to suit her own needs. The seamstress was agreeable to making the alterations and pulled out a blank sheet to take notes as Arya gestured and explained.

It was nearly two hours before the woman left the room and Arya found herself at the end of her patience. She had imbibed more wine than she usually would on a normal day, but doubted anyone could blame her for doing so considering the mental torture she was being subjected to.

It was only after the woman left that her mother posed a question Arya suspected she'd wanted to raise all along. "Arya, child, has.. Lord Tywin told you who you are to marry in truth? Surely he wouldn't leave you without that knowledge?" She continued, referencing her earlier statement about not knowing who she was to marry.

Arya looked over, grey eyes meeting blue as the younger debated how to answer. "He is.. hoping Jaime and myself might be drawn to each other enough to make a match in his immediate family." She said, deciding to be truthful.

Catelyn frowned, understanding the intricacies involved without the need to question them. "And if you both do not?" She asked lowly.

"I don't know.. I'm not sure Lord Tywin fully knows yet, either." Arya answered honestly after a pause.

The woman looked at her searchingly before finally giving in with a stressed looking bow of her aging head. "I see." She murmured softly.

"What do you see?" Arya questioned, her head tilting curiously.

"I see that he's trying to control you from the shadows. Of course he already knows who you're going to marry, he probably has a list just in case his plans fall through; it's only his desire for control that you yourself do not yet know."

Arya didn't necessarily agree with that statement – well, he probably did have a list of potential candidates ranked in order of preference, but that aside- and wondered why her mother would assume to know the bitter old lord better than she herself did to try and call his statements as repeated by her to be false or incorrect. "So say you." She settled on saying simply in response rather than arguing.

"So says logic." Catelyn argued strongly. "Tywin Lannister is not a man to trust, Arya."

"I know well enough to be cautious of Lord Tywin, Mother. As I am cautious of everyone and their motivations. Beyond that, what other choice have I? What other choice have you left me with?"

"Arya," Sansa protested automatically, sounding suddenly worn herself.

"No sister, I'm not trying to be difficult." Arya replied evenly. "We're speaking of logic, yes? You want to know my truth? I would trust Lord Tywin with my wellbeing a thousand times over before I would trust a Frey. I'm still not happy with the situation I've been forced into, and I doubt I ever will be, but I have accepted it is my reality if this is the life I choose to live now that I've chosen to return to it."

"What other life could you live?" Catelyn asked lowly, not looking directly at her but rather staring vaguely at the fireplace.

"Aside from the one I was living before I returned? Many."

"And what life was that? You still haven't explained where you been the past years. We simply wish to understand... don't you want us to understand?"

"I've already said I was in Braavos." Arya reminded her without inflection.

"Yes, but what were you doing there? How long were you there for? Did you go anywhere else? How do you feed yourself? I just wish to know these things, Arya. I keep imaging, well, the things I can imagine.. I would just rather know the truth."

Arya's head tilted consideringly, somewhat torn. She truly doubted the woman learning the truth would bring her any comfort and would likely rather make things worse. She decided to speak a version of that aloud, "When I am certain that knowledge will not make things worse, I will share it with you. If it brings you any comfort, I have spoken of it to Robb already."

She didn't need to explain further and it did seem to, for the woman sagged slightly in her place, heading bowing. She trusted Robb most of all her children, trusted he would have come to her if it were anything too terrible, and so felt reassured by that alone. She did of course wonder what sort of news she would be comfortable sharing with her brother but not her mother or sisters, but she tried not to dwell too heavily on it.

Though it seemed to help, she could see more questions brewing and didn't particularly want to get caught up any more than she already had been, task she had agreed to now finished and with nothing else to keep her. "I would like to get some air before lunch, if you'll excuse me?" Arya requested politely but did not wait for permission to take her departure.

She truly did make her way outside, feeling lighter as she stepped out into the bitter Northern air. She wandered away from the keep, having no true destination in mind aside from one less populated. She found herself back in the broken area of Winterfell once again and allowed herself to continue to move aimlessly through the decrepit structures.

A noise came from further ahead and she followed it, curious to see who else would be in the remote area. She wasn't terribly surprised to find it was Jaime, who seemed to spend as much time out of the keep as he could since the army's departure. He didn't seem to be doing anything, simply standing facing outwards but with his eyes closed and arms tucked beneath his cloak.

She walked silently up beside him, looking from his face to the unassuming brick wall before him and then back again with a raised brow. "What are you doing?" She questioned, hiding a smirk as he jolted is surprise.

"Fucking hell!" He exclaimed, heart hammering with his surprise. How did she manage move so silently? He'd never known anyone who could walk across snow without so much as the crunch of it compacting under their body weight, let alone come to stand just beside him without setting off any of his senses at all. He shot her a dirty look before answering her question. "I'm pretending I'm somewhere warm." He told her dryly.

"I know you're eager to leave. I'll be ready day after tomorrow and we should be able to catch up with the army within a week or so." She promised, knowing she needed to make up her mind on what to do about the dragons. She had no other reason to linger, now, and if she chose to leave them than she had no reason at all. He nodded his head but didn't say anything else so she continued. "There's somewhere I want to go before we leave.. Do you want to come with me? It's further away than the pond- nearly two hours by horseback in the summertime, and to the Southwest of here. We can be back by nightfall if we leave now."

He agreed easily enough, as she knew he would. They headed back to the main part of the keep where they retrieved their mounts and snagged a snack to eat on the journey. They were largely quiet on the ride, but it was thankfully a peaceful one rather than a tense one. The made it in just over two hours, by the suns passing.

Arya didn't explain where they were going but Jaime followed trustingly as they steaked out their horses in a seemingly random location. They climbed up a steep embankment- the task more difficult than she remembered from her youth thanks to the slick snow and ice, but they both managed it more or less gracefully.

They dipped back down into a narrow valley, Jaime hovering behind her as she used her hands to sweep aside a wall of snow. Her efforts revealed a crack in the stone that widened the further she dug, until there was a opening large enough so step down into.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked doubtfully as she began to crawl inside.

"Don't you trust me?" She asked coyly, enjoying his discomfort perhaps more than she should.

"You? Yes.. this unknown hole in the ground you can't have seen in close to a decade? Not as much."

"It's not an unknown hole in the ground, it's been known to the Starks as long as we've been in Winterfell. There are several of these around here, but this one has always been my favorite."

Feeling slightly more reassured and curious despite himself, Jaime moved closer to peer in after her. Once closer, he could see that a set of stairs had been fashioned into the rock face moving down, Arya already at the bottom. Looking around the snowscape one last time, thinking to himself that they would never be found if something happened to them in there, Jaime slipped inside and began to cautiously make his way down.

It was warmer inside but he was getting used to the unexpected pockets of heat that seemed to be rather common now that he had a Northern to show them to him, and seemed to get warmer still as she descended. The light from the crack in the wall faded but it seemed to be lighter than it otherwise should, for when he reached the bottom he could see his companion quite clearly despite their depth.

"Come on, watch your step." She told him, moving along the narrow chamber that seemed to grow tighter before opening suddenly to a massive cavern. Jaime froze in shock as he took in a sight he'd never before seen or imagined. The cavern itself was pitch black, but what had to be millions of tiny blue lights coated the ceiling and walls of the cave, lighting up the features and casting a beautiful glow upon the water filling much of the floor.

"What is this?" He asked, voice sounding awed as he stepped further into the space.

"They're worms, tiny little worms that live in the steam here."

"Why are they glowing? Surely that can't be natural?"

"I don't know. They've always been here. They don't really serve a purpose but I always liked coming to watch them. If you watch long enough, it's like watching the stars in the sky change places. My Uncle Benjen brought me the first time, with Robb and Jon. I wasn't supposed to come but he brought me along anyway."

"Why did you want to come here now?"

"I suppose I wanted to see if it was the same as I remembered. In my memories, it almost seems to beautiful to be true, I thought it might have been lingering impressionism from my childhood. I wanted to know for sure and this might well be the last chance I get."

He watched her thoughtfully under the eerie blue glow, followed as she moved a bit further in to settle on a smooth stone shelf to the side. "Are you happy to be leaving again?" He asked, wanting the honest truth as he watched her watch the ceiling.

"I'm not really happy or unhappy." She told him simply. "I'm not sure I'll be either until I know what fate awaits me." He pulled a wine skin from under his cloak, having gathered it when he gathered the hard bread and cheese they'd eaten on the way, and handed it to her first. She was surprised but accepted it none the less, taking a deep drink and handing it back. "I chose the design of my wedding dress today." She told him unprompted, not sure why but wanting him to know. "My mother wished to have some part in tradition before I head off to Kings Landing, or Casterly Rock, or wherever I end up going.

He took a second drink at her words before handing the skin back again but kept his silence. "It seems a strange thing to do now, rather out of order to have a dress decided on before a groom." Her voice twisted slightly like it was meant to be a joke but didn't quite capture the right emotion.

"Have you thought about leaving again?" He asked softly, not sure if he wanted to know the answer but the words passing by his lips all the same.

"Of course I have, I've thought about it every day. It would be easy, really. There's still so much of the world I want to see. I could travel and explore for years without growing bored if I wished."

"Where would you go first?" He asked, wanting her to continue, wanting to know her deepest desires and most heartfelt wishes. He watched as she lay back on the rock so she was looking up as one would to stargaze as she considered his question.

"I've seen plenty enough of Westeros for my liking, for now, and quite a lot of Essos already. I've still never been to Dorne. That seems like rather a good place to start. From there, I'd like to cross the Summer Sea and see the Summer Isles to the far South." She raised a finger and drew across the air as if she could see a map in her minds eye. "After, I would cross to Valyria, or perhaps remain to the South East and visit Naath and then head across to the Basilisk Isles. They're said to be uninhabited now, but the disappearance of the people who lived there was never solved, so who really knows for certain?" She mused. He'd never heard of the Basilisk Isles or any rumors of disappearing civilizations before then, but suddenly had a curiosity to explore the mystery along side her.

The wine had continued to be shared and the skin was notably lighter, a warm relaxed haze descending upon them as they rested in the warm cavern. "Where would you go next?" He prompted, finding himself enjoying watching her as she allowed him to share in her daydream.

"Mmmm, I'd keep going East, travel across Sothoryos, if I could breech the jungle, that is. It's said to be so thick most men who have tried to explore and map it have had to turn back after a time.. That, or they don't return at all. Not much is known of the people who live there, at least by anyone I've met so far. From there, I'd cross the Jade Sea all the way to Asshai and the Shadow Lands… See if magic truly does still thrive in the far East… See the City of the Winged Men. Perhaps travel as far North as to see the Grey Waste and the Thousand Islands. I'd circle back eventually, visit Yi TI and Trader Town and Qarth, see the Bone Mountains and the Great Sand Sea… See everything there is to see.. sate every passing curiosity to my heart's desire…"

He couldn't resist the urge any longer to press his lips to hers, to steal the words from her along with her very breath before her before he could get any more swept up in the vision she laid out so temptingly before him. "Lets." He murmured against her flesh after a long moment.

"Lets?" She asked in return, peering up at him from where she still lay on her back.

"Let's go, let's just go. We can forget about everything , forget about duty and obligation. We'll travel to Kings Landing as bid but we can just keep going, travel all the way to Dorne and then secure a ship to take us on our travels. We can go wherever you fancy, see all the world has to offer, let our feet takes us where they will…"

"That does sound nice." She whispered back, closing her eyes and letting herself want it for just a moment, letting herself envision it, submerging herself in the idea of it. It was certainly a wonderful daydream.

Tbc

Notes:

Well hello there, long time no see! Thank you for everyone who is still out there and interested in reading this. A ton has happened since my last update- we've bought a house, gotten a dog, and just have a lot going on full stop. I'm so sorry for how long it's taken to get this out to you and will try not to let it happen again, but cannot promise when I'll have the time to write.

This chapter is breaking 100,000 words, so that's pretty exciting!

I do need some help- I'm honestly torn on what to do with the dragons and would love to hear your thoughts and opinions before I decide for sure! Thank you again for reading! 3